Printer

ABSTRACT

A printer includes: a print performing unit which can change a structure thereof and in which contents of an executable printing process change depending on the structure; an apparatus name information storing unit which stores a plurality of apparatus name information as identification information of the apparatus coordinated with the structure; and a request responding unit for transmitting the apparatus name information coordinated with the structure at that time when a prescribed request is received among the plurality of apparatus name information to an apparatus transmitting the request.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a printer.

[0002] As well-known, of devices performing a printing operation such asprinters, copying machines, complex machines, etc. (refer them to asprinters, hereinafter), there are devices capable of operating asdevices in which the contents (kind, number) of an executable printingprocess are different by changing their structures (add optionalcomponents/change components).

[0003] Specifically, in existing printers, there are some printerscapable of operating as color printers capable of a color printing and amonochromatic printing and as monochromatic printers capable of only amonochromatic printing by changing ink cartridges, printer heads, tonercartridges, etc (for instance, see JP-A-2002-192810). Further, there aresome printers in which a staple process or a punch hole process may becarried out by adding a component called a finisher.

[0004] In the case that the printer as described above (designate it asa structure-changeable printer, hereinafter) is used in a networkenvironment, for example, when the structure-changeable printer whichhas no function of a printer server is connected to and used in anetwork through the printer server or the like, and when thestructure-changeable printer which has a function as the printer serveris connected to and used in the network, a user may erroneously selectthe printer which cannot perform a printing operation of intendedcontents.

[0005] Specifically, information displayed on the display of a computeras the identification information of a network printer indicates aprinter name outputted from each network printer (thestructure-changeable printer) However, the structure-changeable printerserves as a printer in which kinds of executable processes are differentdepending on the structure at that time. Therefore, in the network towhich the structure-changeable printer is connected, for example, thestructure-changeable printer, which a user takes and selects as a colorprinter, may actually operate as a monochromatic printer. As a result, asituation that an intended printed result cannot be obtained (a colorprinting instructed to be performed finishes in an error, an instructionto perform a color printing cannot be outputted and a printed resultdifferent from an intended result is obtained) may occur.

[0006] Further, a window displayed by a program (what is called aprinter driver) for operating the printer desirably includes no wastefulitems (check boxes incapable of being selected, radio buttons, etc.) Theexisting structure-changeable printer is a printer in which such aprogram cannot be installed by a plug and play (a device interfacestandard which makes it possible to add an expansion card or the like toa system without requiring a manual setting of a user) This is becausethe existing structure-changeable printer serves as a printer foroutputting the same device ID (information used as the identificationinformation of the printer upon installing a program by a plug and play)without depending on the structure.

[0007] Beside, in order to reduce the design and production cost of theprinters, the maker ordinarily designs a board for each printer in sucha way that when a jumper line is attached to a board for one machine,the board functions as aboard for the other machine. Further, the makerforms extremely similar products as farm wares respectively for theprinters.

[0008] Specifically, in the existing printers, there are some printerswhich can operate as printers of other types of machines (morefunctional printers) (in other words, an apparatus whose functions canbe inexpensively improved) when an operation for attaching jumper linesand an operation for changing farm wares are carried out. However, sincethe existing printers are not designed so that an end user may performan operation for attaching the jumper lines, the end user side extremelyhardly improves the functions of the printers (changes the types ofmachines of the printers) by carrying out the above-describedoperations.

[0009] Beside, of a printer capable of only monochromatic printing(herein after referred as monochromatic printer), there are printerswhich, upon reception of print job data requesting (instructing) colorprinting, produce monochromatic printed material based on the receivedprint job data without informing an error.

[0010] Conditions where the monochromatic printer receives the print jobdata requesting color printing occur when a user erroneously set aprinting condition or install a printer driver not for the his/herprinter. A monochromatic printed material produced by the monochromaticprinter based on the printing job data requesting color printing is of apoor quality as compared with a monochromatic printed material producedbas on the printer job data requesting monochromatic printing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] In view of above, it is an object of the present invention toprovide a printer in which the contents (kind, number) of an executableprinting process are different by changing its structure, an erroneousselection can be prevented irrespective of a fact that a printingoperation having intended contents cannot be performed, and a programcorresponding to a structure at that time can be installed by a plug andplay.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a printerwhose type of machine can be easily changed by an end user and whosestructure is easily designed.

[0013] Still another object of the present invention is to provide aprinter capable of processing the print job data in a suitable state forthe user.

[0014] In order to solve the aforesaid object, the invention ischaracterized by having the following arrangement.

[0015] (1) A printer comprising:

[0016] a print performing unit which can change a structure thereof andin which contents of an executable printing process change depending onthe structure;

[0017] an apparatus name information storing unit which stores aplurality of apparatus name information as identification information ofthe apparatus coordinated with the structure; and

[0018] a request responding unit for transmitting the apparatus nameinformation coordinated with the structure at that time when aprescribed request is received among the plurality of apparatus nameinformation to an apparatus transmitting the request.

[0019] (2) A printer according to (1), further comprising: a rewriteablestoring unit which stores a machine type designating value asinformation for designating any of the apparatus name information storedin the apparatus name information storing unit, wherein the requestresponding unit transmits the information designated from the pluralityof apparatus name information by the machine type designating valuestored in the rewriteable storing unit to the apparatus which transmitsthe request when the request responding unit receives the prescribedrequest.

[0020] (3) A printer according to (2), further comprising: a rewritingunit for rewriting the machine type designating value stored in thestoring unit to a value corresponding to a changed structure when thestructure is changed.

[0021] (4) A printer comprising:

[0022] a print performing unit which can change a structure thereof andoperates in either a state capable of a color printing or a statecapable of only a monochromatic printing in accordance with thestructure; and

[0023] an output request responding unit for transmitting a printer namecorresponding to the operating state of the print performing unit to anapparatus outputting an output request when the output requestresponding unit receives the output request of the printer name.

[0024] (5) A printer comprising;

[0025] a print performing unit which can change a structure thereof andoperates in either a state capable of a color printing or a statecapable of only a monochromatic printing in accordance with thestructure; and

[0026] an output request responding unit for transmitting a device IDcorresponding to the operating state of the print performing unit to anapparatus outputting an output request when the output requestresponding unit receives the output request of the device ID.

[0027] (6) A printer according to (5), further comprising an outputrequest responding unit for transmitting a device ID corresponding tothe operating state of the print performing unit to an apparatusoutputting an output request when the output request responding unitreceives the output request of the device ID.

[0028] (7) A printer operating as any one of a plurality of kinds ofmachines, the printer comprising:

[0029] a rewriteable nonvolatile storing unit for storing firstinformation used at any time when the printer operates as any of theplurality of kinds of machines and second information whose contents areto be rewritten depending on as which type of machines of the pluralityof types of machines the printer operates; and

[0030] a control part for rewriting only the second information storedin the nonvolatile storing unit to information for a different machineunit when an operation is to be started for the different machine fromthe machine used up to that time.

[0031] (8) A printer according to (7), wherein the control part checksthe structure of a self-device upon starting to determined whether ornot the operation is to be started for the different machine from themachine used up to that time.

[0032] (9) A printer according to (7); wherein the first information isinformation related to the number of prints formed in the past.

[0033] (10) A printer comprising:

[0034] a printing unit for a monochromatic printing;

[0035] a receiving unit for receiving print job data;

[0036] a determining unit for determining whether the print job datareceived by the receiving unit is monochromatic print job datainstructing a monochromatic printing or color printing job datainstructing a color printing;

[0037] a printing control unit for processing the received print jobdata when the determining unit determines that the received print jobdata is the monochromatic print job data, and deleting the receivedprint job data when the determining unit determines that the receivedprint job data is the color print job data.

[0038] (11) A printer according to (10) further comprising aninformation transmitting unit for transmitting information representingthat the determining unit determines that the received pint job data isthe color print job data to a computer having a function of informing auser of a message corresponding to the information.

[0039] (12) A printer comprising:

[0040] a printing unit capable of operating in a first state capable ofonly a monochromatic printing and in a second state capable of amonochromatic printing and a color printing;

[0041] a receiving unit for receiving a print job data;

[0042] a determining unit for determining whether the print job datareceived by the receiving unit is monochromatic print job datainstructing a monochromatic printing or color printing job datainstructing a color printing; and

[0043] a printing control unit for causing the printing unit to producea printed material corresponding to a determining result of thedetermining unit based on the print job data when the printing unitoperates in the second state, and causing the printing unit to produce amonochromatic printed material based on the printing job data which isdetermined as the monochromatic printing job data by the determiningunit and delete the printing job data which is determined as the colorprinting job data by the determining unit when the printing unitoperates in the first state.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of hardware of a printer of oneembodiment according to the present invention.

[0045]FIGS. 2A and 2B show explanatory views of property dialogue boxesdisplayed by two printer drivers prepared for the printer according tothe embodiment.

[0046]FIG. 3 is a flow chart at the time of a start-up process executedby the printer according to the embodiment.

[0047]FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a machine type designating valuechanging process performed after the exchange of a toner cartridge iscompleted in the printer according to the embodiment.

[0048]FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a process performed at the timeof the start-up process.

[0049]FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a process performed for received printjob data in the printer according to the embodiment which operates as amachine type capable of only a monochromatic printing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0050] Now, embodiments of the present invention will be described indetail by referring to the drawings.

[0051] Firstly, by referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the summary of a printer10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 according to this embodimentincludes a control part 11, a control panel 12 and a printing mechanismpart 13.

[0053] The control panel 12 constituting the printer 10 is an interfaceunit between a user and the printer 10 (control part 11). This controlpanel 12 constitutes the unit comprising a liquid crystal display and aplurality of pressing button switches or the like.

[0054] The printing mechanism part 13 is a unit comprising a printingengine for printing (forming an image) on a sheet in accordance with avideo signal supplied from the control part 11, a sheet feeder forfeeding sheets to the printing engine and a sheet ejector for ejectingprinted sheets outside the printer 10, etc. The printing engine used inthe printing mechanism part 13 can be used by setting four kinds oftoner cartridges (C, M, Y and K toner cartridges) or can be used bysetting only the K toner cartridge. The printing engine is a type thatthe toner cartridge is replaced by another toner cartridge while thepower of the printer 10 is turned on (a printing engine in which thetoner cartridge needs to be moved to a position where the tonercartridge can be replaced by another toner cartridge).

[0055] The control part 11 is a unit that performs a process for formingprints having contents corresponding to print job data received from ahost computer in the printing mechanism part 13, a process for forming astatus sheet in the printing mechanism part 13 and a process forreturning various kinds of information managed by itself (mainlyinformation on a below-described EEPROM 26) to a device requesting theinformation. Here, the host computer indicates a computer in which aprinter driver (the detail thereof will be described below) for theprinter 10 is installed.

[0056] As shown in the drawing, the control part 11 provided in theprinter 10 is a unit in which a USB interface circuit (USB-I/F) 21 u, aparallel interface circuit (parallel I/F) 21 p, a CPU 22, a RAM 23, aROM 24, a memory control part 25, an EEPROM 26, an interface circuit 27,and a video signal generating circuit 28, etc. are installed together.The control part 11 serves as a unit to which a network interfacecircuit or an HDD prepared as an option for the printer 10, theillustration of which is omitted, can be added.

[0057] All of the USB interface circuit 21 u and the parallel interfacecircuit 21 p and the network interface circuit which can optionally beadded to the control part 11; which are referred as an interface circuit21, hereinafter, which are used in the control part 11 perform acommunication (receiving of print job data or the like) between the hostcomputer and them.

[0058] The CPU 22 is a control circuit for generally controllingrespective parts in the control part 11. The ROM 24 is a nonvolatilememory in which various kinds of programs (specifically described below)loaded in the RAM 23 and executed by the CPU 22 are stored in compressedstates.

[0059] The interface circuit 27 is a circuit for carrying out acommunication (transmit various kinds of instructions and receiveinformation) between the control panel 12 and the printing mechanismpart 13 and the interface circuit. The memory control part 25 is acircuit for carrying out a process for transferring information (printjob data or the like) received by the interface circuit 21 to the CPU22/RAM 23 and a process for transferring a kind of image data (refer itto as printing data, hereinafter) generated on the RAM 23 by the CPU 22from the print job data to the video signal generating circuit 28. Thevideo signal generating circuit 28 is a circuit for forming a videosignal for operating the printing engine from the printing data (theprinting data fed from the memory control part 25) formed by the CPU 22and supplying the video signal to the printing engine.

[0060] The EEPROM 26 is a rewritable nonvolatile memory mounted on theprinter 10 (control part 11) to store a machine type designating value,a machine type ID, a printer name, a device ID, panel settinginformation, an MIB (Management Information Base), color calibrationdata, a USB ID, the total number of times of printings, jam counts, thenumber of times of turning on a power, etc.

[0061] The machine type designating value stored in the EEPROM 26indicates information taking either a value (refer it to as adesignating value for color printing, hereinafter) under which theprinter 10 is instructed to operate as a printer of a machine typecapable of a color printing, or a value (refer it to as a designatingvalue for monochromatic printing, hereinafter) under which the printer10 is instructed to operate as a printer capable of only a monochromaticprinting.

[0062] Further, the information (the machine type ID, the printer name,the device ID, the USB ID, the MIB, etc.) except the machine typedesignating value stored in the EEPROM 26 are respectively the sameinformation (information returned by the control part 11 to an apparatuswhich transmits a command for requesting the information and used by thecontrol part 11 upon printing the status sheet) as information havingthe same names or similar names stored in an existing printer which hasa USB interface and supports a Device ID. A printer name, a device ID,panel setting information, an MIB, color calibration data (and a machinetype ID) in the related printer are information incapable of beingrewritten even when a toner cartridge is replaced by another tonercartridge. Contrary to this, the printer name, the device ID, the panelsetting information, the MIB, and the color calibration data (referthese information to as information related to the machine type name,hereinafter) in the printer 10 according to the present invention areinformation capable of being rewritten when the toner cartridge isreplaced by another toner cartridge.

[0063] Then, in the printer 10 according to the present invention, aprinter in which four kinds of toner cartridges are set in the printingmechanism part 13 and the machine type designating value is set to adesignating value for color printing is sold as a color printer.Further, a printer in which only a K toner cartridge is set in theprinting mechanism part 13 and the machine type designating value is setto a designating value for monochromatic printing is sold as amonochromatic printer. Further, in the printer 10, a printer driverdisplaying a property dialogue box as shown in FIG. 2A and a propertydialogue box as shown in FIG. 2B (that is, items related to a colorprinting) and a monitor program for informing a user of the operatingstate (presence or absence of the generation of error/warning, etc.) ofthe printer 10 are prepared (formed). Further, the printer is sold in aform with a CD-ROM attached in which these programs are recorded. Themonitor program for the printer 10 periodically transmits a statusinformation request command for transmitting status information showingthe operating state (the presence or absence of the generation oferror/warning, etc.) to the printer 10 to grasp (monitor) the operatingstate of the printer 10. When the error/warning is generated in theprinter 10, a window for informing the user of the generatederror/warning is displayed.

[0064] In the printer 10 according to the present embodiment, theprinting mechanism part 13 and a part of the control part 11 forcontrolling the printing mechanism part 13 correspond to the printperforming unit of the present invention. The ROM 24 and the EEPROM 26correspond to the apparatus name information storing unit. A part of thecontrol part 11 for transmitting the device ID/computer name on theEEPROM 26 corresponds to the request responding unit.

[0065] Now, the structure and the operation of the printer 10 accordingto this embodiment will be more specifically described below by takingthe above-described preconditions into consideration.

[0066] In the ROM 24 mounted on the printer 10 (control part 11) of thepresent invention, a common program, a program for a machine typeexclusively used for a monochromatic printing, a program for a machinetype capable of a color printing and a program for a plurality offunctions are stored.

[0067] Of these programs, the program for the functions allows thecontrol part 11 to perform a process for a specific function. Theprogram for a machine type exclusively used for a monochromatic printingand the program for a machine type capable of a color printingrespectively allow the control part 11 to perform a control process fora monochromatic printer and a control process for a color printer.

[0068] The common program is a program with which the RAM 23 isinitially loaded upon turning on a power (or upon rebooting). The commonprogram allows the control part 11 (CPU 22) to perform a start-upprocess whose procedure is shown in FIG. 3, immediately after the commonprogram is loaded. When the toner cartridge is replaced by another tonercartridge, the common program allows the control part 11 to perform anupdating process for updating a machine type designating value, theprocedure of which is shown in FIG. 4.

[0069] Initially, the updating process (FIG. 4) will be described.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 4, at the time of the updating process, thecontrol part 11 firstly decides whether or not the K toner cartridge ismounted on the printing mechanism part 13 (step S201) When the K tonercartridge is not mounted on the printing mechanism part 13 (step S201;NO), the control part 11 finishes the updating process.

[0071] When the K toner cartridge is mounted on the printing mechanismpart 13 (step S201; YES), the control part 11 decides whether or not atoner cartridge except the K toner cartridge is mounted on the printingmechanism part 13 (step S202) Then, when the toner cartridge except theK toner cartridge is not mounted on the printing mechanism part 13 (stepS202; NO), the control part 11 decides whether or not the machine typedesignating value on the EEPROM 26 is a designating value for colorprinting (step S203). When the machine type designating value on theEEPROM 26 is the designating value of the machine type capable of acolor printing (step S203; YES), the control part changes (step S204)the machine type designating value on the EEPROM 26 to a designatingvalue for monochromatic printing. Then, the control part finishes themachine type designating value updating process. Further, when themachine type designating value on the EEPROM 26 is the designating valueof the machine type exclusively used for a monochromatic printing (stepS203; NO), the control part 11 finishes the machine type designatingvalue updating process without rewriting the machine type designatingvalue on the EEPROM 26.

[0072] On the other hand, when the toner cartridge except the K tonercartridge is mounted on the printing mechanism part 13 (step S202; YES),the control part 11 decides (step 205) whether or not the machine typedesignating value on the EEPROM 26 is the designating value of themachine type exclusively used for a monochromatic printing. When themachine type designating value on the EEPROM 26 is the designating valueof the machine type exclusively used for a monochromatic printing (stepS205; YES), the control part 11 changes (step S206) the machine typedesignating value on the EEPROM 26 to the designating value of themachine type capable of a color printing, and then, finishes the machinetype designating value updating process. Further, when the machine typedesignating value on the EEPROM 26 is the designating value of themachine type capable of a color printing (step S205; NO), the controlpart 11 finishes the machine type designating value updating processwithout rewriting the machine type designating value on the EEPROM 26.

[0073] Now, the contents of the start-up process (FIG. 3) will bedescribed below.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 3, the control part 11 starting the start-upprocess firstly reads a machine type designating value and a machinetype ID (step S101) from the EEPROM 26. Then, the control part 11decides whether or not the read machine type ID corresponds to the readmachine type designating value (step S102).

[0075] When the machine type ID does not correspond to the machine typedesignating value (step S102; NO), the control part 11 performs aprocess (step S103) for rewriting only information related to a machinetype (the machine type ID, the device ID, the printer name, the MIB, thepanel setting information and the color calibration data) on the EEPROM26 to information corresponding to the machine type designating value.Then, the control part 11 performs a process (step S104) for loading theRAM 23 with a program for a machine type designated by the machine typedesignating value (a program for a machine type exclusively used for amonochromatic printing or a program for a machine type capable of acolor printing) and a program for some functions. That is, in this stepS104, as schematically shown in FIG. 5, a process for allowing the stateof the RAM 23 to correspond to the machine type designating value iscarried out.

[0076] On the other hand, when the machine type ID read from the EEPROM26 corresponds to the machine type designating value read out from theEEPROM 26 (step S102; YES), the control part 11 performs the process ofthe step S104 without performing the process of the step S103. That is,in this case, the control part 11 loads the program for the machine typedesignated by the machine type designating value (the program for themachine type exclusively used for a monochromatic printing or theprogram for the machine type capable of a color printing) and theprogram for some functions on the RAM 23 without rewriting theinformation related to the machine type on the EEPROM 26.

[0077] The control part 11 that finishes the process of the step S104operates in accordance with the program loaded on the RAM 23.

[0078] The contents of the operation of the control part 11 under thisstate are the same as those of a control part in an existingmonochromatic printer or an existing color printer. However, when themachine type designating value indicates the designating value of themachine type exclusively used for a monochromatic printing, the controlpart 11 functions as a unit for performing a slightly differentoperation from that of the control part in the existing monochromaticprinter.

[0079] Specifically, when the machine type designating value indicatesthe machine type designating value exclusively used for a monochromaticprinting, a group of programs with which the RAM 23 is loaded allows thecontrol part 11 to process received print job data in accordance with aprocedure shown in FIG. 6.

[0080] That is, the control part 11 initially decides (step S301)whether the print job data is data for requesting a color printing or amonochromatic printing on the basis of information (what is called a jobcontrol command) included in the top of the print job data which beginsto be received.

[0081] Then, when the print job data is data for requesting amonochromatic printing (step S301; NO), the control part 11 performs aprocess for allowing the printing mechanism part 13 to form a printhaving the contents corresponding to the print job data in step S302 andcompletes the processes shown in FIG. 6.

[0082] On the other hand, when the print job data is data for requestinga color printing (step S301; YES), the control part 11 performs aprocess for coping with a warning in step 5303. Here, the process forcoping with the warning means a process that a prescribed warningmessage representing that the print job data for requesting a colorprinting is received despite a state is capable of only a monochromaticprinting is displayed on a liquid crystal display of the control panel12 and a self-state is brought into a state that status information isreturned including information representing that the print job data is,rejected upon receiving a status information request command (a commandtransmitted by the monitor program).

[0083] The control part 11 that carries out the above-described processfor coping with the warning performs a process (step S304) for deletingthe received print job data, and then, finishes the processes shown inFIG. 6.

[0084] Briefly stated, when the machine designating value indicates themachine type designating value exclusively used for a monochromaticprinting, the printer 10 of the present invention is designed in such away that the print job data for requesting a color printing is processedso as not to interrupt the transmitting process of the print job data ina host computer side and not to perform a printing operation based onthe print job data.

[0085] As described above, the printer 10 according to this embodimentis an apparatus that operates as either the printer of a machine typecapable of a color printing or the printer of a machine type capable ofonly a monochromatic printer depending on its structure (depending onthe kind of the toner cartridge mounted on the printing mechanism part13). Further, the printer 10 serves as an apparatus whose outputtedprinter name is changed depending on as which machine type of printersthe printer 10 operates (an apparatus for outputting the printer namecorresponding to the machine type at that time) Accordingly, when theprinter 10 of the present embodiment is used in a network environment, auser can grasp as which machine type of the printers the printer 10 ofthe present invention operates from the printer named is played on thedisplay of the computer. As a result, the printer 10 of the presentinvention functions as a printer hardly erroneously selectedirrespective of a fact that a printing operation of intended contentscannot be carried out.

[0086] Further, the printer 10 according to the present invention alsoserves as an apparatus whose outputted device ID is changed (anapparatus for outputting the device ID corresponding to the machine typeat that time) depending on as which machine type of the printers theprinter 10 operates. Accordingly, the printer 10 of the presentinvention serves as an apparatus capable of installing the printerdriver (see FIGS. 2A and 2B) corresponding to the machine type at thattime by a plug and play.

[0087] Further, when the printer 10 operates as the printer of themachine type capable of only a monochromatic printing, the printer 10also serves as an apparatus for rejecting the print job data forrequesting a color printing. Consequently, in the printer 10, when theprinter 10 operates as the printer of the machine type capable of only amonochromatic printing, color print job data is erroneously supplied. Inthis case, a host computer and the printer 10 are not restricted due toa process for forming the print of unexpected contents. Further, theprinter 10 also serves as an apparatus in which a window showing thatthe print job data is rejected is displayed on the display of the hostcomputer. Thus, the user of the printer 10 can immediately recognizethat an erroneous operation is carried out and can stop the transmittingprocess of the print job data if necessary.

Modified Embodiment

[0088] The printer 10 of this embodiment may have various kinds ofmodifications. For examples the printer 10 is an apparatus in which thecombined programs on the RAM 23 are different between a case in whichthe printer 10 operates as the printer of a machine type capable ofperforming a color printing and a case in which the printer 10 operatesas the printer of a machine type capable of performing only amonochromatic printing. However, the printer 10 may be modified so thatRAM 23 is loaded with the same program even when the printer operates asany type of the printers. In this case, when the printer 10 is modifiedas described above, a part of the program on the RAM 23 is not actuallyexecuted, thereby the storage capacity of the RAM 23 is wastefully used.Thus, the printer is desirably formed in the same manner as that of theabove-described embodiment.

[0089] Further, information related to the machine type on the EEPROM 26is not rewritten and two sets or more of information related to themachine type are stored on the EEPRQM 26 and the printer 10 may bemodified so that the information related to the machine typecorresponding to the machine type designating value is selected fromamong these information and used. Further, the structure of aself-device (the kind of the toner cartridge mounted on the printingmechanism part 13) is checked upon start-up process and the printer 10may be modified so that the information related to the machine type onthe EEPROM is rewritten. Further, the printer 10 may be modified so thatthe information related to the machine type on the EEPROM is rewrittenwhen the toner cartridge is replaced by another toner cartridge.

[0090] Further, it is to be understood that a printer (a printer or acomplex machine) functioning, for instance, as a printer of a machinetype capable of performing a staple process and as a printer of amachine type incapable of performing a staple process may be realized onthe basis of a technique used in the printer 10. Further, it is to beunderstood that some functions may be removed from the printer 10.

What is claimed is:
 1. A printer comprising: a print performing unitwhich can change a structure thereof and in which contents of anexecutable printing process change depending on the structure; anapparatus name information storing unit which stores a plurality ofapparatus name information as identification information of theapparatus coordinated with the structure; and a request responding unitfor transmitting the apparatus name information coordinated with thestructure at that time when a prescribed request is received among theplurality of apparatus name information to an apparatus transmitting therequest.
 2. A printer according to claim 1, further comprising: arewriteable storing unit which stores a machine type designating valueas information for designating any of the apparatus name informationstored in the apparatus name information storing unit, wherein therequest responding unit transmits the information designated from theplurality of apparatus name information by the machine type designatingvalue stored in the writeable storing unit to the apparatus whichtransmits the request when the request responding unit receives theprescribed request.
 3. A printer according to claim 2, furthercomprising: a rewriting unit for rewriting the machine type designatingvalue stored in the storing unit to a value corresponding to a changedstructure when the structure is changed.
 4. A printer comprising: aprint performing unit which can change a structure thereof and operatesin either a state capable of a color printing or a state capable of onlya monochromatic printing in accordance with the structure; and an outputrequest responding unit for transmitting a printer name corresponding tothe operating state of the print performing unit to an apparatusoutputting an output request when the output request responding unitreceives the output request of the printer name.
 5. A printercomprising: a print performing unit which can change a structure thereofand operates in either a state capable of a color printing or a statecapable of only a monochromatic printing in accordance with thestructure; and an output request responding unit for transmitting adevice ID corresponding to the operating state of the print performingunit to an apparatus outputting an output request when the outputrequest responding unit receives the output request of the device ID. 6.A printer according to claim 5, further comprising an output requestresponding unit for transmitting a device ID corresponding to theoperating state of the print performing unit to an apparatus outputtingan output request when the output request responding unit receives theoutput request of the device ID.
 7. A printer operating as any one of aplurality of kinds of machines, the printer comprising: a rewriteablenonvolatile storing unit for storing first information used at any timewhen the printer operates as any of the plurality of kinds of machinesand second information whose contents are to be rewritten depending onas which type of machines of the plurality of types of machines theprinter operates; and a control part for rewriting only the secondinformation stored in the nonvolatile storing unit to information for adifferent machine unit when an operation is to be started for thedifferent machine from the machine used up to that time.
 8. A printeraccording to claim 7, wherein the control part checks the structure of aself-device upon starting to determined whether or not the operation isto be started for the different machine from the machine used up to thattime.
 9. A printer according to claim 7, wherein the first informationis information related to the number of prints formed in the past.
 10. Aprinter comprising: a printing unit for a monochromatic printing; areceiving unit for receiving print job data; a determining unit fordetermining whether the print job data received by the receiving unit ismonochromatic print job data instructing a monochromatic printing orcolor printing job data instructing a color printing; a printing controlunit for processing the received print job data when the determiningunit determines that the received print job data is the monochromaticprint job data, and deleting the received print job data when thedetermining unit determines that the received print job data is thecolor print job data.
 11. A printer according to claim 10 furthercomprising an information transmitting unit for transmitting informationrepresenting that the determining unit determines that the received pintjob data is the color print job data to a computer having a function ofinforming a user of a message corresponding to the information.
 12. Aprinter comprising: a printing unit capable of operating in a firststate capable of only a monochromatic printing and in a second statecapable of a monochromatic printing and a color printing; a receivingunit for receiving a print job data; a determining unit for determiningwhether the print job data received by the receiving unit ismonochromatic print job data instructing a monochromatic printing orcolor printing job data instructing a color printing; and a printingcontrol unit for causing the printing unit to produce a printed materialcorresponding to a determining result of the determining unit based onthe print job data when the printing unit operates in the second state,and causing the printing unit to produce a monochromatic printedmaterial based on the printing job data which is determined as themonochromatic printing job data by the determining unit and delete theprinting job data which is determined as the color printing job data bythe determining unit when the printing unit operates in the first state.